(མཛད་པ། 13:1-12)

 

Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. 5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.

They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, “You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.”

Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord. (Acts 13:1-12)

 

God answered the worship and earnest prayer of his disciples with the command, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul …”. In obedience to God the church at Antioch in Syria entrusted to God these two for their work. And after more such prayer sent them off.

Then God’s Holy Spirit sent them off to Barnabas’ country, the island of Cyprus. (In similar manner God has sent out many missionaries – meaning ‘sent men’ – around the world in the 2000 years since then)

In Cyprus they declared the gospel in Jewish worship places, and also by invitation to the Roman governor. Although an astrologer opposed their message, the governor believed. Note how God’s Holy Spirit helped Saul to resist the astrologer.

*the above map from http://www.bible.ca/maps/

(མཛད་པ། 13:13-25)

 

Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem, but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.” So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said: “Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen. The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it. And for about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness. And after destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance. All this took about 450 years. And after that he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’ Of this man’s offspring God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised. Before his coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. And as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but behold, after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’ (Acts 13:13-25)

 

From now on Saul is called by his Roman name Paul. And he also takes the lead in speaking while Barnabus stays beside him as his fellow-worker.

Leaving Cyprus they sailed to the north and land in what is modern Turkey. In each city the Jewish synagogue was the first place where they preached the gospel.

There follows a summary of what Paul preached in Pisidian (not Syrian) Antioch:   

1. How God chose and looked after Israel as His own people up to the point where David became king.

2. How God promised to give Israel a Saviour who would be a descendant of David.

3. How Jesus was this promised Saviour for repentant sinners; and this is followed by a reminder of how John the Baptist foretold his coming.

*map source here @ www.searchingthescriptures.net

 

(མཛད་པ། 13:26-41)

 

“Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation. For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor understand the utterances of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilate to have him executed. And when they had carried out all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead, and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people. And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm,

“‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you.’

And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way,

“‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’

Therefore he says also in another psalm,

“‘You will not let your Holy One see corruption.’

For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption, but he whom God raised up did not see corruption. Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed[c] from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses. Beware, therefore, lest what is said in the Prophets should come about:

“‘Look, you scoffers, be astounded and perish; for I am doing a work in your days, a work that you will not believe, even if one tells it to you.’” (Acts 13:26-41)

 

Paul continued his speech by describing the trial of Jesus, his crucifixion, his burial, then his resurrection and appearances alive to the disciples. It all happened according to God’s plan and purpose as shown by the Jewish scriptures:

1. In Psalm 2 it is shown that Messiah was to be God’s Son

2. In Psalm 16 it describes Messiah’s rising from the grave

3. In Isaiah chapter 55 God declares how Israel would enjoy the promises made to King David.

David of course died but everything foretold about a descendant of David came true in Jesus, whose resurrection was final proof that he was the Holy Saviour and King that was to come. Obeying Moses’ Law could not save, but belief in Jesus does give liberation from all bad karma.

Finally Paul quotes a sutra from the prophet Habakkuk warning us not to ignore such wonderful promises of scripture.